Time Bomb

Chapter 36

—Clint's POV—
"Hey hon? Your phone is ringing, want me to answer it?" My wife Laura hollered from the living room as I'm in the kitchen getting dinner served.
"Yes please, babe!" I yelled back and began setting plates down for our small family. For awhile now until recently, I had kept hidden to the others that I have a daughter and a wife. We live in this country house on a good chunk of land hidden away by trees.
"Hon, it's Bucky. He says it's important." Laura said and handed me my phone.

"Hey man, what's going on?" I asked.
"You remember when you did that research on Dani's father and you actually found him?" He asked and I could hear the urgency in his voice.
"Yeah, but I stopped any research on him and never actually saw him with my own eyes. Only reports and photos that other people had gotten and posted. Why, is Dani okay?" I asked, ready to grab my to go bag and leave instantly.
"Yeah yeah, she's right here with me. But Clint, he's in the states. Long story short, Thor's brother Loki is here and before Thor had found Loki, Loki said he saw Soldier Boy. He didn't say where, but I'm sure we can get that information." He said. I could hear him pacing over gravel through the phone and waves crashing lightly against rocks. They must be by the lake.
"Okay, do we know what he wants? Is he here for Dani or is it just coincidence?" I asked.
"We don't know. But Dani has a strong feeling that he's found out where she is and it won't be pretty if he finds her. She told me the truth of their last interaction. He kidnapped her, ran tests on her, had her beat up... Clint, it was bad. He did all that just to try figuring out how she got his abilities when he got his from being experimented on. Dani firmly believes that he's power hungry." He said urgently.
"Bucky, I need you to get Dani on a quinjet now. My place is programmed into the GPS as Barton. Dani told me the story once before and based on the reports I've read, we need to hide Dani. I had forgotten the story until you just mentioned it. It's not a coincidence that he's in the states. He knows she's here and it's only a matter of time before he finds her. No one except a few of the Avengers know this location. And when she gets here, I'll erase all GPS info from the quinjet. It'll sync with the others and erase it from them as well." I said as I paced through my kitchen.
"We're heading back to the house now. I'll text you when she's on the way. And Clint?" He said.
"Yeah?" I answered.
"Please keep her safe. I'm gonna do what I can to do just that on my end. So please... please do not let anything happen to her." He said, sadness in his tone.
"I promise. I failed her for 5 years already, it's time I make up for that. Text me when she's on the jet. I'll be in touch." I said and we hung up.

"What's wrong, Clint?" Laura asked as she approached me.
"Uhm... it's Dani. Why don't we sit down and I'll explain. We'll be keeping her here until she's safe." I said and had her follow me to sit on the couch. The kids are still in their rooms playing so that gives me time to explain everything.
Laura and I spoke for awhile about Dani's situation. I had told her about Dani before but not the full story until now.

"It's a good thing we've been hidden away for so long. It shouldn't be hard to keep her safe here. I'll go set up the guest room for her. How long until she's here?" Laura asked once I finished telling her everything. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check my messages. Bucky had texted just a few minutes ago saying Dani got on the jet and is on her way.
"About 2 hours. I'll get Lila fed and to bed, you set up the guest room and then we'll wait for her." I said and sent a text back to Bucky letting him know I got his message.

"I love you sweetie, get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." I kissed my daughter on her forehead and turned her bedroom light off before leaving her room, closing her door behind me.

"She should be here soon, why don't you go wait outside for the jet and I'll stay in the house with Lila?" Laura said as we approached each other in the hall. I nodded and kissed her before heading downstairs and out the front door.

A few minutes later, the jet landed just in the distance. I jogged over and went inside where Dani sat quietly on the floor.
"Hey you, how are you doing?" I asked and kneeled beside her.
"Clint, I'm terrified. I don't think I've ever been this scared before and now I have to be away from Bucky. Again." She said without looking up at me. I squeezed her shoulder and quickly went over to the GPS system to delete my info from it.
"I don't know what I'll do if he hurts any of you.. I won't be able to live with myself.." She said quietly as I turned back to her after my location was deleted from the system.
"Hey, don't think like that. You've got some of the strongest people in the world on your side with this. Don't forget we fought Thanos." I said and smiled lightly. That's when she finally looked up at me, her eyes red from crying.
"Yeah maybe, but it wasn't any of you that defeated him. It was me. When I still have my powers." She said and stood up, grabbing her bag and walking off the jet. I followed her.
"Are you saying you want them back?" I asked as we walked towards my house.
"No. Maybe... I don't know. I feel like that would be the only way to defeat him is to use my powers but he survived the blast before... so I don't think it would even do anything now." She said and let out a deep sigh.
"Why don't you come in and have a drink with Laura and I? Try to get your mind off everything. Come on." I said and took her hand in mine, lightly pulling her with me to the house.

"Ahh, you must be Dani. I'm Laura, it's so nice to finally meet you." Laura said to Dani as we walked inside. Dani smiled weakly.
"Nice to meet you, Laura. I'm so sorry for all of this, I didn't have a say in where I was going." Dani said and put her bag down on the couch.
"Oh it's no problem at all. I'm happy to help family. Clint mentioned you were wanting to take our last name as your own to rid yourself from your birth name... I just want you to know that you have my blessing. After the stories Clint has told me, I'd be more than happy to have you as my sister." Laura said happily, trying to lighten the mood.
Dani spotted the alcohol and went straight for it, scanning a few cupboards for a glass until she finally found one.
"Is she going to be okay?" Laura whispered to me.
"I don't think, hon. I've never seen her this bad before." I said and watched as Dani gulped down a glass full of whiskey. Her drink of choice.